Homemade ‘bombs’ found in Blue Lake subdivision

Scott Condon/The Aspen TimesAn Eagle County deputy sheriff cordoned off a section of Blue Lake Park in El Jebel Thursday after a small, unexploded homemade bomb was found along with five others that exploded in the subdivision, leaving small burn marks. A bomb squad from Grand Junction was called to the scene to properly dispose of the device. Authorities suspect they were made and placed as part of a Halloween prank.

EL JEBEL – The Eagle County Sheriff’s Office is advising Blue Lake subdivision homeowners to be on the lookout for small soda bottles filled with a yellow liquid because they might be an unexploded, homemade explosives.

Six of the homemade bombs were found Thursday morning at the subdivision in the El Jebel area, including five that had exploded, according to sheriff’s office spokeswoman Jessie Mosher. An unexploded device was found in a corner of the Blue Lake Park. The bomb squad from Grand Junction was in en route as of 1:40 p.m. to dispose of it. An Eagle County deputy sheriff cordoned off the area with police tape and was standing guard until the bomb squad arrived.

The devices came to the attention of authorities when a resident of Blue Lake reported that he found a small bottle filled with an unknown liquid at about 8 a.m. The homeowner dumped the liquid out in the street gutter and it started bubbling and smoking. Deputies went to the scene and determined it was a small, homemade bomb, according to a press release from the sheriff’s office.

“While searching the Blue Lake area deputies found four additional bottles that had exploded,” the press release said. “These bombs caused no significant damage, only small burn marks. Deputies have reason to believe that these bombs were placed in these locations as a Halloween prank but are taking all necessary safety precautions to remove them properly.”

Residents are urged not to touch or remove the bombs if they find one. They should call 911.

Anyone with knowledge about the devices is urged to call the Eagle County Sheriff’s Office at 970-328-8500 or Eagle County Crime Stoppers at 970-328-7007 or 1-800-972-TIPS, or submit a tip online at http://www.tipsubmit.com.